Container



Sept. 10, 1935. J. PETERS 2,013,669

CONTAINER Filed July 30, 1932 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 10, 1935 CONTAINER John F. Peters, Leonia, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 30, 1932, Serial No. 626,278

4 Claims. (Cl. 220,-39)

The present invention relates to containers having removable covers which are applied by a turning movement, container and cover being provided with interrupted threads for securing 5 the cover in container closing position, provision being made for preventing the accidental loosening or dislodgment of the cover.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a container and cover provided with screw threads for tightly holding the cover into container closing position and having locking elements associated with one of the threaded parts for preventing accidental loosening of the cover.

`Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfas it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l illustrates one embodiment of the invention being a front elevation of a container and its applied cover;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating container and cover in separated position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 and illustrating the cover in sealing position upon the 3o container;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan sectional detail taken substantially at a position indicated on the container by the line -d in Fig. 2 and illustrating parts of the cover and container during application of the cover and before it is moved into container closing position.; andV Fig. 5 is a view similar toFig. 3 and illustrating the position of the cover upon the container as it is being moved into closing position.

The present invention is particularly directed to an improved locking feature for a threaded container or can which holds the can cover in can closing position so that it cannot be acacidentally loosened or displaced but may be easily unscrewed and the can opened when desired. Short thread sections are struck out or formed in the adjacent walls of can and cover and provide for drawing the cover downwardly into tight sealing position as the same is turned relative to the can. The threads of the can body are preferably spaced apart circumferentially a distance greater than the longitudinal dimension of a 'can cover thread section. This is to permit the latter threads to pass freely downwardly between the body thread sections by straight axial movement of the cover relative to the can and prior to any relative turning movement to lock the cover in position.

Each of the thread sections of the can, according to the embodiment of the invention as herein 5 disclosed, is formed with a lateral projection or abutment. Each projection cooperates with the corresponding thread section of the cover during its application to the can to snap by the end of the cover thread and to present a barrier or stop l0 to hold the cover against inadvertent removal. Reverse movement of the cover is resisted by these lateral locking projections of the can threads but is easily overcome by force when the cover is unscrewed at which time the parts again l5 spring out and unsnap while the thread sections are disengaged.

Such a can comprises a" metal container body II, provided with a bottom or end member I2 which may be secured in any suitable manner as 20 by a double seam. The upper end of the body is open and is strengthened by an encircling bead I3 'struck out from the metal and projecting beyond the wall of the can body. Above the bead I3 a vertical shoulder part It is preferably pro- 25 vided (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) and above this shoulder, an upper wall part I5 extendsf The top of the wall I5 is preferably bent inwardly to provide a curled upper edge I6 which forms a smooth mouth for the open end of the 30 can and further reinforces or strengthens this part of the can body. This'can is adapted to be closed by a cover `member 2l which may be formed with a top wall 22 and a depending side wall or flange 23. A suitable knurling 22 is de- 35 sirable and is formed in the flange Wall to permit a more secure grasping of the cover when it is being turned in closing the can.

' The outer edge of the cover wall 22 is also formed with an annular depressed bead 25 which 40 is adapted to engage against the curled edge I6 of the can when the cover is in closing position. Threaded elements are formed in both can and cover for this purpose and these cooperate to draw the beaded section 25 inside and on top of. the 45 or upper end of each threaded section 28. Whenk the cover is first positioned its threaded sections 29 are arranged to the right (viewing Fig. 2) of their companion threaded sections 28 and down- 15 wardly extending projections 3|. The body thread sections 28 are preferably circumferentially spaced apart a distance greater than the longitudinal dimension of each cover thread 29 to permit the latter to pass downwardly between the 20 body threads in the first movement of applying the cover. As the cover is rotated to bring the threaded sections into engagement the threaded sections 28 of the cover ride over the projections 3|, the flange of. the cover being sprung outwardly4 in the movement sumciently to permit this relative movement, as illustrated in Figs. .4 and 5.

'I'he cover is rotated relatively to the cam until the thread sections 29 have passed beyond the lateral extension 3| when the cover flange springs 30 back into its normal shape (Fig. 3). Thereafter slight further rotation of the cover upon the body causes the cover to be drawn tightly down upon the curl I6. The lateral projections 3| are now behind the threads 28, as illustrated in dotted lines 35 in Fig. 4.

'I'he cover cannot be accidentally removed from its container closing position without reversing the springing process on the coverfiange and without causing the thread sections/"29 to again 40 move over the lateral thread extensions 3|. This reverse movement, however, can be easily brought about when the cover is forcibly turned in the opening operation.

It is thought that the invention and many of 45 its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in theform, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the in- 50 vention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: l. A container, comprising a body having an 55 open end, a cover having a flange .fitting over said open end, thread sections formed in said body adjacent its open end, thread sections formed in said cover fiange and adapted to engage with the body threads when said cover is applied and rotated relative to said body to 'close the container, and lateral projections associated with one of said thread sections and adapted to spring outwardly and snap behind the other of said thread sections during the application of the cover to lock it in container closing position and prevent accidental loosening, said body having a vertical shoulder part which enters within the cover flange and holds the flange spaced from the body for the said operation of said projections and cover thread sections.

, 2. A container, comprising a body having an open end and an upper curled edge surrounding the opening, a cover for closing said opening and having a depending fiange extending down alongside of and spaced outward from said body when said cover is applied and also having an annular bead for engaging said` curled body edge, thread sections struck outwardly from the wall of said body adjacent its curled edge, thread section: struck inwardly from the ange of said cover and adapted to engage with said body threads when said cover is rotated relative to said container body, and projections extending downwardly from the upper end of the thread sections of. the body 25 and locking with the thread sections of the cover to hold the cover in closing position and to prevent its accidental loosening, said thread sections being relatively short and the thread sections of the cover being adapted to pass directly downward between the thread sections of the body.

3. A container, comprising a body having an open end, a cover fitting over said open end and having a depending iiange provided withI circumferentially spaced inclined thread sections, said body adjacent its open end having inclined thread sections circumferentially spaced apart a distance greater than the longitudinal dimension of a said cover thread section, said body threads each having a downwardly disposed projection at the upper l end thereof adapted to engage a thread section of the cover when applied to yieldably resist accidental loosening of the cover.

4. A container, comprising a body having an open end, a cover fitting over said open end and having a depending flange provided with circumferentially spaced inclined 'thread sections, said body adjacent its open end having inclined thread sections circumferentially spaced apart a distance greater than the longitudinal dimension of a said cover thread section, and an abutment on said body disposed in circumferential alignment with one of said cover threads and over which said cover thread yieldably passes when the cover is applied, said abutment engaging the upper end of said cover thread when said cover is applied to yieldably resist reverse displacement of said cover relative to said body.

JOHN F. PETERS. 

